I didn't think Cornish X's would forage...

[redsoxs]

My experience with them is that the older and heavier they get the less they forage and the more content they are to camp out by the feeders.

 

[Saltysteele]

they will forage. they are bred to be eaters. they will do anything to eat, food is their crack cocaine. they live, breathe and dream about eating.

they would be content for you to pour the food and water down their throats for them, but they will get food any other way if they have to

 

[peteyfoozer]

Quote:
OMG!! I think I am married to a CornishX!!!

 

[Beekissed]

 

[miss_thenorth]

Mine freerange, and I would have to guess that they saved me at least two bags of feed at least, by supplementing themselves. (Iraised 30 to 10 weeks of age--no deaths, and finished at an average of 10 lbs).

 

[steffpeck]

Quote:
OMG!! I think I am married to a CornishX!!!

 

[Tracydr]

Mine usually "grazed" and looked for bugs early morning and late evening. I raised them in terrible heat this summer. During the day it was all they could do to eat, drink and lay in the water pans, panting.
I'm curious to see how my batch next week does. They'll have plenty of opportunity to graze. I've let the Bermuda go to seed and I've even noticed a few baby grasshoppers.

 

[bwmichaud]

They love 3 things: food, water and shade. If you keep them in a small space where they can't move, they won't move. If you let them out, they will roam around. They just won't go too far away from food, water and shade.

 

[Two Creeks Farm]

It was not uncommon to find ours several hundred yards from their tractor coop. It got to the point where they just stayed with the regular chickens and the tractor wasnt even used. They arent as foraging as a FR or a standard chicken, but they do quite well if allowed to roam about.

 

[Kelsey2017]

I had raised them w/ feed in the morning and kept them penned in a yard for the first 8 weeks, butchered 20 of them and turned the other thirty out totally free. Everyone in my flock which numbered 62 (layers, ducks, turkeys too) got only about 10 lbs of feed per day had to look for the rest of their diet on their own. The early ones I butchered were around 4# dressed and I just butchered the rest last night and they dressed out at 7.5 - 8.5#. I'd say they can find food! I was impressed and I will probably do it that way again. The ones I just butchered were 4.5 months old. Never lost ONE to leg problems or overeating (heart failure) after they were turned loose. Oh and I had the benefit of spreading the butchering process over the summer. The feed amounts probably add up to what they would have eaten in a shorter period of time to reach the same weight but it helped to budget the feed cost out over a longer period of time. Lots of chicken in our freezer, still tender and lots of meat not just bone. Besides all that they seemed very happy! The poop was also not all in one place, less stink, but also on our front steps, not too cool!